Glossary of terms

Glossary of terms

A-F

Bolus – A tissue equivalent material such as wax which may be placed on your skin during treatment.

Brachytherapy – A form of radiotherapy whereby a source of radiation is placed close to or into the area to be treated.

Catheter – A tube inserted into the bladder to aid bladder emptying.

Chemotherapy – Treatment of cancer using cytotoxic drugs.

Clinical Trial – Research exercise to test a theory directly in the clinical environment.

CNS – Clinical Nurse Specialist

Computer Plan – An individual radiotherapy treatment plan produced by special computer software using either CT or MRI scans.

Concurrent – At the same time.

Conformal Radiotherapy – This is a radiotherapy treatment technique where the beam of radiation is shaped to follow the outline of the organ or region requiring treatment, thereby minimising the dose to adjacent healthy tissue using MLC’s.

Consent (Informed) – Your agreement to have the treatment after discussion with the doctor where you will have been advised of your options and any effects and had an opportunity to ask questions.

Consultant Oncologist – A senior doctor who has taken specialist qualifications in oncology.

Couch – The bed on which you lie for your planning, scans and treatment.

CT / Computed Tomography Scan – A type of scan used to take images of inside your body.

Cytotoxic – Toxic to cells.

Dental Alginate A gel like substance used to create a mould of your body part in order to create the necessary shell, similar to a tooth mould at the dentist.

Department Assistant – Health care assistants trained to work in the radiotherapy department.

Dietician – A health care professional qualified to advise on all aspects of nutrition.

DNA – Deoxyribonucleic Acid

Dose – The amount of radiation prescribed.

Dose Distribution – The way the dose of radiation acts within the area to be treated.

DRR – Digitally Reconstructed Radiograph

Eclipse® – A brand name for a treatment planning system.

Electrons – A type of radiation used for superficial tumours.

Electron Boost – The use of electrons to deliver additional dose to a more specified area such as a scar or original tumour bed.

EPI – Electronic Portal Image

ESH – East Surrey hospital

External Beam Radiotherapy – Where the source of the radiation is external to the target such as with a linear accelerator.

FBC Full blood count – a blood test, which measures the amount of all the different components, which make up blood.

Fiducial Marker (small gold seeds 3mm) – Inserted into the prostate to help with localisation. For prostate radiotherapy only.

Field – The delivery of radiation to a defined area. A number of fields may be used to get an accurate dose distribution and form a treatment plan.

Fraction – The name given to each individual treatment.

FPH – Frimley Park Hospital

G-L

HCPC – Health Care Professions Council

IGRT – Image Guided Radiotherapy

Immobilisation – Equipment used to ensure you or a specific part of your body does not move during treatment, and to facilitate daily reproducibility of your position.

IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy) – It is the use of precision radiotherapy to focus a high dose of radiation to the tumour whilst sparing the surrounding tissues.

In-patient – A patient who is staying in the hospital for more than one day.